(copied as fair use)

An excerpt from
"Ban on drug ads to stay: McLellan, Minister refuses to loosen regulations despite lobbying by manufacturers, media,
McGregor, Glen, The Ottawa Citizen, 23 March 2002

"Health Minister Anne McLellan says she sees no reason to allow U.S-style advertising for prescription drugs in Canada, despite heavy lobbying by brand-name drug companies and media outlets to loosen the rules on drug ads.

"We have no intention of changing our present policy," she told reporters outside the House of Commons. She allowed that Canadians are already exposed to drug advertising on American television, but said it wasn't a compelling enough reason to allow the same sort of advertising in Canada.

[snip]

Ms. McLellan did not elaborate on her reason, but in an interview published this week she suggested drug advertising is of questionable value to patients. Ms. McLellan said the experience of direct-to-consumer advertising in the U.S. has shown that patients who see drug ads pressure their doctors to prescribe the drug.